MISSION VIEJO : ‘Teach-In’ Targets Bias at Saddleback

More than 200 students and teachers inside Saddleback College’s Student Center sat silent Tuesday afternoon as La Habra resident Alicia Appleman-Jurman, a survivor of the Holocaust, recounted the horrors of her childhood in Poland and told how bigotry, racial intolerance and anti-Semitism destroyed her once-happy family.

“I want today’s generation to know my story,” said Appleman-Jurman, an author and lecturer. “America was built by people from all over the world, and in difficult times, like this recession, people look for scapegoats. And who do they look to? The minorities.”

Appleman-Jurman’s presentation was part of a daylong “teach-in” at the college, which officials said was organized in an effort to combat racism, prejudice and intolerance at Saddleback. A series a racial hate crimes and harassment took place at the college last year and led to the resignation of a black supervisor. The seminar drew more than 800 students throughout the day.

“We’ve had so many problems at Saddleback recently with racial-related crimes and harassment,” said Joanna Joyce, student body president. “I think students not only need to be aware of the problems, but we also need to create a level of awareness in order for students to fight these things at a personal level.”

The “Teach-In on Cultural Diversity” featured discussions on 14 topics, including African-American culture, Asian Americans, racial stereotypes, sexism and gay culture.

The event, which lasted more than eight hours, consistently drew standing-room-only audiences throughout the day.

Keynote speaker William Jordan, an ethnic studies professor at Cal Poly Pomona, spoke emotionally of a lifelong battle against racism. He recounted growing up in a segregated North Carolina and attending Georgetown University, where he was called “nigger” by other classmates.

Jordan, 58, said his journey, which included participating in the civil rights movement, has left him with more questions than answers about the prejudice that continues to plague members of his race.

“How can I and my culture be seen as a positive part of America and not a subtractive?” Jordan asked. “How can I get to the point where I am not just a color? How do you get into a community where my pain as a person will not put you off and where people will not say that the problem has been dealt with and the laws passed? I’m still hurting.”

Laguna Beach Mayor Robert F. Gentry, an openly gay public official, spoke on gay culture. He said the seminar was “one of the most important events going on in Orange County not only today, but all year. . . .

“All the groups here have one thing in common, and that is a mutual expression of oppression,” Gentry said. “We have been dealt with and taught about differently than has what we call our ‘traditional American,’ which is a white, heterosexual male.”

Student Myrna Ryan said the event really made her think.

“They talked about the problems of everyday life,” Ryan said. “I think something like this is needed in all schools throughout the country to make people more aware of the problems and of their own prejudices.”

The teach-in, which also included a student panel discussion, was taped and will be aired on local cable television later this month, college officials said.